7/12/2011 – During an hour-long public radio program Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed said that the Pennsylvania DA’s Association is taking no position on the medical marijuana bill. Freed explained the stance on WITF’s Radio Smart Talk , “I don’t think any prosecutor I know would want to prevent a terminally ill person from alleviating [their] suffering.”
Freedomisgreen Editor Chris Goldstein was the proponent guest representing Pennsylvanians for Medical Marijuana and PhillyNORML.
Later in the program Freed reinforced the position, “I don’t think that medical marijuana is necessarily a law enforcement issue. I think that advocates like Chris need to go to the Legislature and what happens there …happens.”
SB1003/HB 1653, The Governor Raymond P. Shaffer Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, is waiting for committee votes in both houses. The bill was re-named this year to honor the former Republican governor who asked President Nixon to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act in 1972.
In a rare, comprehensive discussion the Radio Smart Talk program covered medical marijuana, decriminalization and full legalization. Questions from the callers ran the gamut from supporting reform measures to blaming the Greek economic crisis on weed.
Listen to Radio Smart Talk July 8, 2011
Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. Questions? [email protected]